


Companionship

by burnthepasttotheground



Series: Five Times [2]
Category: Rent - Larson
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-05-10 14:11:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5589130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burnthepasttotheground/pseuds/burnthepasttotheground
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times Roger loved Mark.</p><p>Can be read as shippy or platonic, whatever you feel like.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Companionship

**1988**

It’s a cold day in mid-January, and The Well Hungarians have a gig at a club. Nothing extraordinary. But Roger’s friends haven’t been to a show since before Thanksgiving. Benny has a new girl. Collins is in his last year of grad school. Mark is in the middle of a screenplay, or in the middle of Maureen. Roger has grown used to not having anyone around after his sets, save for his bandmates and a handful of groupies. He can’t even blame his friends for not showing. They are broke, after all.

So it’s a bit of a surprise when, three songs in, he spots a familiar set of blue eyes in the audience.

“I didn’t think you were gonna make it,” Roger admits as they walk home together later.

Mark shrugs. “It’s been a while.”

 

**1989**

It is October. April is gone. Benny is gone. Collins is gone. Maureen is, more or less, gone. But Mark is still there. And Roger is almost there, too.

He can feel his thoughts getting clearer each day. It’s been over a week since he last vomited, but nearly twice that long since he’s gotten a decent night’s sleep. Of course, Mark is aware of that, Roger is sure. Most nights Mark sleeps in his bed with him, in an effort to ease his nightmares. Occasionally it works. Some nights he doesn’t sleep at all. This is one of those nights.

He can tell, though, that Mark isn’t sleeping either.

“Mark?”

“Yeah?” There is no trace of sleep in his voice.

“Why are you here?”

“I can sleep in my room if you want.”

“No, why are you _here_?”

“What?”

“Everyone else left. You could have left, too.”

“Don’t be an idiot, Roger.”

That doesn’t answer the question, he thinks, but determines that it’s better than any possible answer.

 

**1990**

He’s just returned from Santa Fe and the brisk air of the city feels better than he ever remembered. He is going to find Mimi, but first, a stop at the loft. He’s surprised to find it empty—though he really shouldn’t be—but spots the empty mug and coffee pot next to the projector. Roger knows where he would go for inspiration.

He indeed finds Mark by himself on the rooftop, clad in his striped scarf, and looking like … _home_. Mark doesn’t ask for an explanation, merely returns his embrace and says, “You didn’t call.”

 

**1991**

It’s mid-July and he hates everything. He has since February. He tried to suck it up and keep going, like Mimi surely would have wanted, but he’s instead retreated to old habits.

“Hey,” Mark’s voice is gentle, and he leans in the doorway to Roger’s room. “Have you eaten anything?”

Instead of answering (and disappointing) his roommate, Roger tries to remember the last time he spoke to anyone but Mark. He can’t.

“Can you please eat something? As a personal favor?”

He sounds like a mother, Roger thinks, and such a hypocrite—it wasn’t as if Mark was holding his life together any better. Well. Maybe a _little_ better.

Annoyed, he rolls out of bed and heads toward the kitchen. He tries to think of another person he would do this for. He can’t.

 

**1992**

It’s freezing in the loft again, though not nearly as cold as it felt last February. He rolls over to look at Mark, who for once is still asleep when Roger wakes up. He can’t see any of the worry lines usually present on his face. For once Mark looks content and worry-free. Roger closes his eyes and goes back to sleep.


End file.
